


Great Dads Get Promoted To...

by impish_nature



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Found Family, Self-Indulgent, just pure fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-13
Updated: 2018-03-13
Packaged: 2019-03-30 23:26:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13962375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/impish_nature/pseuds/impish_nature
Summary: Stan and Ford take a trip back to Gravity Falls, and Soos has a rather big announcement.





	Great Dads Get Promoted To...

**Author's Note:**

> AN: Utter fluff. Self indulgent, silly fluff that I had to write.

“Stan! Ford! It’s good to see you.”

Stan beamed as he strolled into the Mystery Shack, luggage in hand even with Soos fussing behind him that he was a guest now, a sentiment he'd been repeating the very small trip from the car to the porch. He waved as Melody scurried out from behind the register she’d been sat at, engulfing him in a hug which he returned in kind before she did the same to Ford. “Good to see you too, Melody.” He gave an appreciative hum, eyes darting around the room as Soos puffed up every so slightly at the proud gleam to his expression. “Good to see the ol’ girl’s still standing too.” He nudged Soos’s arm, a bright mischievous grin sliding across his face as Soos spluttered in response.

“Of course, Mr Pines!”

“Probably standing better than when you ran the place.” Ford piped in, dropping his bag down before smirking in response to Stan’s mock indignation.

“Nah, now that I don’t believe.” 

Soos nodded fervently along with Stan's words, face solemn and mouth open to add to the objection, before Stan turned the tables on him again, pointed at him with little fanfare. 

“After all, this guy was the one making sure it stayed standing even then.” He slapped him on the back, barking out a laugh as Soos spluttered once more, words fumbling out in an attempt to deny the praise. “Definitely left this place to the right person, didn’t I?”

“Of course.” Ford bit his lip, his laughter threatening to bubble out, as Soos coloured further, now resigned to disgruntled squeaks, though he did seem pleased despite himself. “But that’s why I reckon it’s doing better now he's running the show.”

"H-hey now..." Soos's objections went ignored as the pair continued to scrutinise the room, his voice high pitch and abashedly stuttering in amongst the warm overwhelming pride.

“Are you two quite finished embarrassing him?”

“Never.” Stan’s hand slipped around Soos’s shoulder, turning back to Melody whilst dragging him with him. “Where would be the fun in that? Besides- we’re only being honest.”

“I know.” 

Soos’s squeaks reached a higher pitch as Melody joined in, unable to resist the family teasing. Ford couldn't contain his amusement any longer, his shoulders shifting with every small chuckle.

“See?” Stan wasn’t sure he could smile any wider as he glanced back at Soos, hand clapping against his shoulder. “Ford has a point though. Wanna give me the grand tour of the place under its new management?”

Soos’s eyes lit up, proud embarrassment forgotten and replaced with excited glee as he gestured Stan forward. “Of course, right this way-”

“Soos, dear, aren’t you forgetting something?”

Soos turned to his highly amused partner, blinking for a few seconds before dawning realisation took over. Excitement vanished beneath a sheepish smile, hand rubbing at the back of his head before he bounced back to his jovial self. “Oh yeah- right, that. There’s a few things we need to do first- always time for the tour later, right?” He shooed the guests towards the living room, face turned in the other direction as he shuffled backwards, almost falling over some boxes in his haste. “You guys go sit down, I’ve got to go grab something quickly.”

Ford and Stan shared a glance as Soos quickly disappeared from sight, intrigued expressions mirrored on their faces so in time that Melody couldn’t help but laugh again. She shook her head fondly, lightly shoving them both in the direction Soos had shooed them.

“Go on, you two. You’ll find out soon enough.”

“You mean there’s a Mystery in the Mystery Shack?”

“One that will be solved all on it's own if you give it a minute." Melody tried to give them a stern expression as she continued to point towards the living room, though it was marred by the smile she couldn't quite contain.

"But-"

"Stan, let's let him have his moment.”

Stan rolled his eyes as Ford walked ahead of him, his jab falling flat as he was practically dragged into the other room by his bag strap where he wouldn’t be able to see whatever it was Soos was grabbing earlier than he should, no matter how hard he tried.

He wasn't good at surprises. Not only was he impatient beyond belief (Ford still had no idea how he could stand fishing), but he also liked to be in on the surprise and watch everyone else reach the punchline from a knowing vantage point.

There was just something about catching someone hook, line and sinker and watching their reactions in their entirety.

But just this once, as it  _was_  Soos asking, he'd do his best to wait patiently. It wasn't like the kid had asked for much over the years, heck he hadn't even let him throw him a cheap birthday party once a year- not even when he'd framed it as a money making scheme for the shack.

Of course, Soos didn't need to know that the money making scheme had just been a front in the hopes of getting him to like his birthday again- nope, that was something that Stan would deny to his grave. Ulterior motives? Of  _course_  he had ulterior motives, wasn't like he cared- not at all.

...OK, maybe that lie was one that even he couldn't believe anymore. But it was more the principle of it all.

Soos understood that. That was what mattered.

Regardless of whether or not he could, or would, admit that he cared though, the thought of Soos's disappointed expression, the one that he had seen on more than one occasion when his father was brought up, directed at  _him_  was not something he was willing to see.

He didn't think he'd ever be up for seeing that. He didn't know what he'd do if he ever disappointed Soos like that.

After all, considering he'd put up with him for all these years- it took a lot to disappoint the kid.

And so, with all that in mind, he let himself be led into his old home with only the usual amount of fuss and grumbling.

Which, as it was typical of the man, went largely ignored by both Ford and Melody, who then quickly left them to it.

The brothers settled in the living room, both of them relaxing further in the familiar place. It had changed, the new owners making the place their own but enough of the original was still there underneath for neither of them to even really notice as they unwound after their extensive travels away from the place.

Ford couldn’t help but smile softly as Stan sank back into a very familiar chair that had been left in place just for him, Soos determined that certain things should never change even with the new Mr Mystery running the show. Ford's smile only grew happier as the quiet moment went on, observing the look of utter peace that filtered over his brother, his body going slightly slack, as he dropped his head back against the headrest.

The boat was great, their adventures were everything they’d ever dreamed of them being.

But this was still Stan's home, pure and simple.

Even if Stan himself didn’t even realise it, it was obvious from the outside looking in.

Not that Ford didn’t have a soft spot for the place either, those last few weeks of summer had brushed away the cobwebs, had brought the house back to its former glory. The tarnished memories he’d had from years and years ago, the ones filled with betrayal and regret, had been replaced, shiny and new and filled with the sense of family it had been severely lacking all that time.

And by the looks of it, it would always be here to some degree whenever they came home from sea.

Another family member, or perhaps an old friend, to fondly visit as they passed through.

It was a nice idea, one he’d never entertained before in all his travels.

It was hard to think about setting down roots when you were always on the move.

He was glad that Stan had found that kind of place, one that he now hoped to share.

“What’s that sappy look for, Nerd?”

Ford blinked, his brother’s smug face coming into view as he pulled him back from his wayward thoughts. He smirked back, turning away from him as he did so. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”

Stan rolled his eyes. "That's kind of why I asked." When his words were met with only a playful shrug, he pouted, eyes sparking with mischief, much to Ford’s glee. “No fair. Come on, spill."

Ford only hummed thoughtfully, eyes looking anywhere other than Stan, suddenly very interested in his own nails as Stan watched him like a hawk.

"Don't think you'll get away from the question that easy-"

“Found them!”

The pair jumped as Soos and Melody entered the room again, realising belatedly that perhaps they shouldn't start a sibling war in the middle of Soos's living room, especially not when their host had other plans. It was also probably for the best that they had appeared right at that moment before the switch was flicked and Stan was chasing after Ford, doing everything possible to get whatever he was hiding from him out of him.

...Being stuck on a small ship far out at sea had seemingly only exacerbated their childish qualities instead of the opposite.

What could they say? They were kids at heart.

Plus, they had a lot of childish sibling moments to catch up on from all their time apart.

Though, for now, they both realised perhaps it was time to try and at least  _act_  their age, even if Ford was giving Stan a knowing smirk that said he'd won this round and Stan's returning look was a narrowed eyed scowl that said this wasn't over just yet.

Stan coughed though, trying not to feel too much like a small child who had been caught doing something he shouldn't by a disapproving adult as he turned back to the couple, ignoring Ford's stifled snort behind him.

“Them? Who's them? Us? Cause, I mean, we weren’t that hard to find, kid. Right where you left us.”

“No.” Soos huffed, shaking his head, his voice carrying that edge that said what he'd meant should have been obvious even as the two old men continued to stare at him nonplussed by it all. He grinned brightly, eyes twinkling excitedly, pulling his hands out from behind his back to hold out two identically, and slightly badly, wrapped presents, one in each hand. “These!”

The pair blinked at one another before back to the couple, both still not quite understanding. Stan gave an awkward smile, hand rubbing at the back of his head. "Uhh, shouldn't it be us two getting you presents from our travels, not the other way round?" 

"And we do have presents." Ford piped up, standing up as he did so and gesturing behind them with a smile. "If we're exchanging presents, I'll go grab yours-"

"No, no." Soos gestured him back to his seat, expression flickering anxiously for just a second as if their reactions weren't what he expected. "This is, uhh- that is-"

"Just open them, you two and you'll figure it out. It's just something little." Melody nudged Soos into the room, leaning against the door frame as she did so. "Besides, you've been sending gifts from around the globe, you can let us give you something in return once in a while."

"Y-yeah- what she said."

Stan snorted, tugging Ford back down beside him as he raised an eyebrow at Soos. "Well, you drive a hard bargain that I guess we can't refuse."

Soos's smile returned, his shoulders relaxing as he gave them both their gifts. "Yeah- good, that's good." 

Stan tried to ignore the nervousness in his reaction, not wanting to call it out when they were already frazzling him- something he'd' never intended to do when they came back, at least not in any other way than general teasing compliments. Instead to return the room back to it's jovial note he leant around Soos to glance at his partner again, giving her a toothy grin. "I hope you use that hard sell in the gift shop."

"Of course. It wouldn't be the Mystery Shack without a hard sell on the merchandise."

"That a'girl." He glanced back at Soos, glad to see his chest puffing up ever so slightly as his eyes fell on Melody, adoration behind every movement. "I hope you know she's a keeper, Soos."

"Of course."

Stan nodded, glad to leave the lovebirds to their loving gazes as he finally looked down at the present in his hands. He let them be for all of a minute before his curiosity and impatience got the better of him. "So, can I...?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah! Go ahead, dudes."

Stan tore into his with vigour, feeling more than seeing the exasperated eye roll from his brother beside him as he methodically worked on his own wrapping.

They still got to the end result at roughly the same time, making quick work of the wrapping paper, which Stan belatedly realised was Mystery Shack brand gift wrap that he had to commend the boy on later, and paused as they glanced at one another's presents with unabashed curiosity. 

There was a beat of silence, tense and fizzling with a nervous excitement that neither old man really understood or took in.

And then Ford blinked, the present in Stan's hands registering within the whirring cogs of his head and his heart leapt into his throat in bright, shining glee.

He didn't say a word, raising a hand to his mouth to stop himself from letting the game away as his brother continued to stare at his present with bemused curiosity.

In his hands was an ordinary maroon mug, one that read '#1 Granddad' all the way around it in bold black letters.

Ford watched carefully as Stan's eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly as he struggled to connect the dots before his expression smoothed over into something more lighthearted and questioning.

He gave a soft huff, raising an eyebrow at the item. “Man after my own heart, aren't you, Soos? Was this one on offer by any chance? You know how much I'd rather you didn't ever buy anything full price.” He turned the mug around and around, amusement thick on his tongue. “You shouldn’t have, Soos. But I love it, should I leave it here for when we're visiting or can I take it on the boat?”

Ford bit down on his knuckle, trying to stem the flow of giddiness when Stan was so utterly oblivious to the announcement at hand.

“Uhh…” 

Melody took over, much to Soos’s relief. “No, Stan. He picked that one out specially, just for you.”

“Really?” Stan furrowed his eyebrows again, mouth twisting ever so slightly, obviously confused as he looked over at Soos, slightly flustered at the sentimentality. There was an air of embarrassment around him, as if the tides had been changed and Soos was returning the favour with the earlier familial teasing. “I mean- you know I think of you as my own, Soos. But I mean, I don't think anyone would ever describe me as a 'Good' or a ‘Great’ Dad, let alone a-”

The words caught in his throat, the cogs whirring away behind his eyes for the rest of the hushed audience in the room to see.

" _Oh_."

Understanding echoed through that one word, like it wasn't even a word at all but a pure exclamation, a puff of shock and awe in one sudden burst of noise.

"That's- there's not a gap there like I thought is there?" Stan swallowed, voice slightly hushed as if he wasn't quite ready to commit to the sudden revelation in case he was entirely wrong. "Between 'Grand' and 'Dad', that is?"

"No. No there's not. That's just one word." Soos's smile was glued to his face, stuck nervous and twitching though Stan had yet to notice as he continued to stare downwards.

"Oh."

The word was softer still the second time. Still filled with wonder, his eyes wide as dinner plates as his mouth opened and closed around silent words that refused to surface from his short circuiting mind.

"T-that's a good 'oh', right?"

"A good...?" Stan shook himself, eyes finally finding Soos's as he seemed to come back to the room. "Of course it's a good oh! Come here, you." Soos didn't get a chance to object, dragged into a tight and rather rough hug as Stan pulled him down towards him with a gleeful laugh, eyes dancing over to Melody. "So- that is- there's going to be..." He didn't seem capable of a full sentence in that moment, Soos's chuckling vibrating happily close to his chest.

"That there's going to be a new addition to the family?" Melody nodded happily, an envelope held in her hands. "Want to see them?"

Stan gave a delighted noise, hands vanishing from their tight hold around Soos to grab giddily at the air towards Melody as if she'd just offered him the best sight in the world. 

Ford could only laugh at the childish antics, glad that there seemed to be none of the usual joking aloof act in that wonderful moment as Melody made the short trek over to them and presented them with an ultrasound.

Stan still seemed incapable of speech, eyes taking in every aspect, hand reaching out to trace the small figure though he didn't take the photo, as if scared that it would vanish if he did.

"Look's like I've got another Great niece or nephew on the way." Ford waved his own mug in Stan's face, grabbing his attention if only for a second, the '#1 Uncle' mug sporting a change in thick marker to make it a '#1 Grunkle' mug instead.

Stan gave a laugh, one that sounded more like a choke of emotion but no one said anything to the contrary. "Guess you do, Sixer, there's a mini Mystery on the way- oh!" Stan's eyes shone bright, possibly slightly wet but he ignored that as he turned back to Soos gleefully. "You better make this part of the mystery shack- I'm sure we can think of something."

"Way ahead of you." Soos smile matched his, almost vibrating with the gleeful atmosphere. "We've already got the townspeople betting on whether it'll be a boy or a girl. But I'd love to hear any other suggestions."

"That's my boy." 

If Stan didn't know better, he would have been convinced that somehow Soos's smile grew impossibly wider in that moment.

There was a few beats of happy, twittering chatter, hugs given and warm congratulations shared amidst a smattering of questions and amusement at how well they'd kept the announcement quiet in their conversations leading up to the visit.

No one said a word about how Stan had yet to put down his new found present, hands finding their way to twiddle the mug happily whenever he thought no one was paying attention, eyes staring at the words with a soft sappy smile on his face, as if it was the most precious gift he'd received in a long time.

The room lapsed into a comfortable silence, the four relaxed and content in the quiet celebrations for a few soft moments.

That is, until Stan decided, perhaps it was time to stop beating around the bush and hiding behind gruff jovial lies.

"Hey, Soos... son." Stan ran the word around his mouth, letting it sit there as Soos's eyes widened in shock, his mouth going slack for a moment before he couldn't stop the blossoming smile that shone like the sun across his face.

Stan found he liked that expression more than anything else in that moment.

And he liked the way the word ran off his tongue, how it rang out between them, a declaration and commitment all in one. "So, how about you give me that tour?" He gave him a wink, clapping him again on the back. "You can tell me all about those plans of yours for your newest mystery attraction while we go round as well."

"Yeah, yeah OK." Soos tugged him along, giving only a quick nod to the other two before dragging Stan out of the room and back towards the main museum of the Shack. "And D- Mr Pines?"

"Yeah?"

"...I'd describe you as a Great Dad." Soos ducked, continuing to walk as he said it, even as he heard Stan stutter to a quick halt before following him as if nothing had happened. "For what it's worth, that is."

There was a beat of awkward silence, just enough for Soos to regret the words before a quiet voice piped back up in between the footsteps.

"It's worth a lot, kid, it really is."

Another wave of giddy relief and happiness fell over Soos, the acknowledgement enough all on it's own as his back straightened at the confirmation.

A loud cough echoed out as Stan quickly walked past him, cheeks ruddy in a way that neither of them would admit as he glanced into the room before them. "R-right, so! What's new in the Mystery Shack, Mr Mystery?"

Soos beamed, clasping Stan's arm to tug him excitedly over to the first in a line of new attractions. "Right this way, you won't believe your eyes." He gave a playful wink. "I'm sure I've got something here that even you, with all your extensive travels, haven't seen." 

The line worked, grabbing Stan hook, line and sinker, his face smug and proud as he nodded approvingly.

"Well, now that I've got to see. Lead the way."

 

**Author's Note:**

> AN: So, my nan brought around a load of old things a little while ago and one of the things was this mug that used to be my Grandad’s that he must have got from one of the grandkids.  
> Anyway, she said as my Dad was now a Grandad, perhaps he’d want it and- I dunno. It weirdly made me very sentimental. She’d kept hold of that mug for 24 years since he passed away and- Idk, it just made me want to write something silly and adorable and- yeah, this is what you got haha.


End file.
